Driver assistance systems such as active cruise control (ACC), overtaking assistant, lane departure warning systems, systems for traffic sign recognition or lighting control, and autonomous brake systems are components of modern vehicles.
In the systems that are currently approved, the driver is always part of the control loop, which means that the driver must remain attentive and intervene immediately if the driver assistance function fails. Such failure can be indicated, for example, by an alarm signal. In the future, it is planned to offer functionality for automated driving, i. e. the driver assistance system must be able to drive the vehicle safely for a predetermined period of time even in the event of a fault (such as a sensor failure). In this case, or if the driver does not immediately respond to a takeover request, at least a reduced driver assistance function must be available until the driver takes over or the driver assistance system is fully functional again.